Clegg adviser Verity Harding joins Google in policy role

The political adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has left her role to join Google.

Verity Harding is understood to have taken a policy role with the internet giant, having left her job earlier this month.

A spokesman for the Liberal Democrats confirmed the move, adding: ‘Verity made an enormous contribution but she is seeking new challenges and will be sadly missed.’

Harding, who has not yet been replaced, is believed to have previously worked as a senior policy adviser at the party’s central office. Her move to Google comes amid parliamentary pressure on the internet giant over its UK tax arrangements. In May, Clegg raised the issue with Google’s chairman Eric Schmidt.

Harding’s switch also follows criticism from some quarters of close ties between the Government and Google.

Harding becomes one of several Google policy and comms execs with links to the Government. Google’s international head of comms Rachel Whetstone is a former senior adviser to ex-leader Michael Howard and the wife of Steve Hilton, David Cameron’s ex-strategy director. Policy adviser Naomi Gummer was an adviser to Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt.